- Trail Distance : exact measurement of the trail, in feet.
- Average Grade: the amount of increase or decrease in terms of percentage of the whole trail.
- Maximum Grade: the maximum grade in percent that is reached for any 10-foot section on the trail.
- Average Cross-Slope: the average degree to which the trail slopes from one edge of the trail to the other edge.
- Maximum Cross-Slope: the maximum degree to which a 2-foot section slopes from one edge of the trail to the other.
- Tread Width: the usable portion of the trail bed. This is measured in inches over the total trail.
- Trail Bed Zone: covers the area that most people would identify as part of the trail. This includes roots, ruts and rocks.
- Overhead Obstructions: are obstructions in the trail bed zone that are 80 inches or more above the zone (Beneficial Design, 1999).
- Minimum Clearance Width: the minimum amount of usable trail space around an obstruction, such as a rock, root or rut.
Basics of Trail Assessment
The following are some terms that are helpful in completing a trail assessment:
blog comments powered by Disqus